Noguera Pallaressa (Congost de Collegats)
| Stretch: | Gerri de la Sal to Park "Font de la Figuereta" |
| Difficulty: | Class II+ |
| Distance: | 8.8 km |
| Flows: | 14 to ?? cumecs (44 was fluffy but not too high by any means) (see "riverapp" application) |
| Gradient: | 33 fpm average |
| Put-in: | Bridge access in Gerri de la Sal |
| Take-out: | Park "Font de la Figuereta" on N-260 |
| Shuttle: | 8.1 km, 10 minutes one way |
| Season: | Winter/Spring from snowmelt and rain |
| Written: | © 2018 |
| Featured in A Wet State #138 | |
Pyrenees 2018 - Day 5 Afternoon:
This canyon isn't hard. But dang it is spectacular. And it is worth doing just for that purpose. At our high flow I would say there was one rapid that due to cross current and cushion off the wall I might call class III. But there were no real rapids and I could see at low water that it becomes class I+. So, why might you ask should you do this? Because it is that pretty. Seriously.... This gorge is something else. Totally worth it. And if you only run this canyon it wont take that long. So make the time, do the river, thank me later.
For reference, we had 44 cumecs when we ran it. High. But it also didn't feel flooded.
That afternoon, we took showers at camp and then packed up and headed up river. We hoped that either 1) first thing in the morning the Palomeras might be low enough to run, or perhaps 2) if it was too high even first thing in the morning, perhaps the Boavi would have water... though that was unlikely.
Previous: Pyrenees 2018 - Day 5 Morning: Noguera Pallaresa (Sort to Gerri de la Sal)
Next: Pyrenees 2018 - Day 6: Lladore (Boavi)
Km 0.0:
- Boogie (II+). Since this is the easiest section there really isn't much here. You do it for the scenery which is amazing. The first several kms are in a valley and just class II to II+.
- Entrance (III-). Just before the walls tighten around you, you have the last few rapids that are reminiscent of the sections immediately above this. Nothing terrible. Just wave trains.
- Wall Rapid (II to III+). So, it is straight forward. But for a class II boater the funky currents at high flow will for sure flip them and cause them to melt into a seam against the wall. This could be a high stress spot. It is for sure the limiting factor for the run at high flow. If you are a class III to IV boater than this rapid won't be a problem. But the class II to III boater may have issues.
- Arizona: The river goes through a pinch in the walls and when it comes out on the other side the scenery becomes straight out of Arizona.
- Cave (II). A nice small rapid that has a huge cave on the left that you can paddle into. Careful for the walls as there was current going into and probably under them.
Take-out: 20.5 km south of Sort on N260, just as you exit the canyon look for a dirt road leading to the developed park. This is take-out.
Put-in: 8.1 km north towards Sort on N260, as you pass through the town of Gerri del la Sal, look for the old Arch Bridge, there is parking on the upstream side of it.
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